High speed spiral wrapper machine and method



Oct. 31, 1967 B. H. WALLACE 7 HIGH SPEED SPIRAL WRAPPER MACHINE AND METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. '7, 1964 E A Y RL 0 m m M C R E O v W N I T A A R E0 8 Oct. 31, 1967 H. WALLACE 3,349,777

' HIGH SPEED SPIRAL WRAPPER MACHINE AND METHOD I Original Filed Aug. '7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 69 5 3 FIG. 2 56, 6 /7 7U FIG.3H 7

INVENTOR BERT H. WALLACE ATTORN E! United States Patent 3,349,777 HIGH SPEED SPTRAL WRAPPER MACHINE AND METHOD Bert H. Wallace, Uniondale, N.Y., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Continuation of application Ser. No. 388,168, Aug. 7, 1964. This application Mar. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 623,140

24 Claims. (Cl. 13159) This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 388,168, filed Aug. 7, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to the manufacture of cigars and more particularly to an apparatus for spiral wrapping a continuously-bound tobacco rod, resembling a cigarette rod, to thereby produce a cigar.

In view of the high speed of modern cigar machines, especially in binding a continuous cigarillo rod with a straight-seam binder, in a form resembling a conventional cigarette rod, an apparatus for spirally wrapping the continuous rod with comparable speed and efficiency is es pecially desirable. The present invention fills this need.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an apparatus for continuous, spiral wrapping of a continuous cigar rod as it emerges from a conventional rod former.

Another object is to provide an apparatus which is simpler and more advantageous for spirally wrapping a continuous cigar rod than heretofore known.

A further object is to provide an apparatus which incorporates a spiral winding mechanism which operates at high speed and rotates coaxially with the continuouslybound rod passing through this winding mechanism.

Yet another object is to provide an apparatus which is quite compact in operational and spacial requirements, which is also completely automatic, and which features a brake-controlled reel of wrapper material and an associated paster unit which revolve about the bound cigar rod to be spirally wrapped. The inertial problems of'the wrapping machine are greatly reduced by the coaxial arrangement of the wrapper and the cigar rod.

Still another object is to supplement the foregoing apparatuses with tobacco rod guide and resilient pulling means to protect and suitably aid in the travel of the cigar rod as it is wrapped.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this in-' Vention requires that a continuous-bound cigar rod, preferably resembling a cigarette rod bound with a straight seam, is passed axially from the rod former through the center of a high-speed spiral wrapper machine. The machine is provided with a reel of wrapper material and an associated paster unit which rotate about the axially-moving cigar rod and spirally wrap the rod continuously in substantial synchronism with the forming of the cigar rod. By brake-controlling the reel which free-wheels on a hollow shaft concentric with and surrounding the cigar rod, the wrapper is drawn continuously and spirally around the cigar rod after it passes through the wrapper reel, with the desired uniformity in tension and pitch of the wrapper. The operation is facilitated by puller rollers, for example, driven at rod speed, or slightly above, which draw the cigar rod through the winding or wrapping unit.

The spiral wrapper of this invention is relatively simple and includes a stand upon which is mounted a hollow shaft rotatable at the desired speed and receiving coaxially therethrough the bound cigar rod which is drawn by puller rollers disposed beyond the wrapping area. Fixed perpendicularly to the hollow shaft is a flange plate which mounts a freely-rotatable but brake-controlled reel of wrapper material, an associated wrapper paste applicator, related weight and inertial controls and wrapper mounting means. The rotatable hollow shaft mounts at its outlet end a support block having a core for axially passing the bound cigar rod therethrough, and a longitudinal slot leading from the core to the surface of the support block in order to receive the wrapper web which is therein wound about the cigar rod as the wrapper unit rotates about the rod.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be illustrated in connection with the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a schematic, partly sectional, perspective view of the high speed spiral wrapper machine;

FIG. 2 is a view of resilient rod puller, transverse to the rod;

FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 2 taken from the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the high-speed spiral wrapper machine includes a pillow block 1 having a base 2 which is perforated for mounting next to the outlet of a continuous cigarillo rod maker, for example, the rod 3 issuing from a conventional type rod maker and preferably having a straight-seam binder.

The pillow block includes at its upper portion a cylindrical journal box 4 in which is concentrically mounted a hollow journal or shaft 5 rotatable in the box 4. The outer face of the shaft 5 is of smaller diameter than the journal box 4 and is mounted for rotation by means of end ball bearings, such as 6, 7 and complementary bearing races 8, 9, 10, 11 set in the ends of the journal box 4. On the cigar rod inlet of the shaft 5 is a hollow gear 12 screwed to the shaft by taps 13. This gear is coupled to drive means (not shown) which are operated synchronously with the speed of delivery of the cigar rod 3.

Mounted on the inlet of the pillow block 1 is a bracket 53 which supports a suitable cigar rod guide tube 54. The tube is axially aligned with the bound cigar rod, extends a suitable distance through the shaft 5, and is of an internal diameter to freely and slidably support the bound rod. Any other suitable support and guide means would function as well. The described tube 54 receives the bound cigar rod 3 as it issues from its suitable manufacturing apparatus (not shown) and enters the spiral wrapping machine of this invention.

Press fitted on the shaft 5 near the bearing 7 is a general rectangular rotary mounting plate 14, the shape being modifiable in connection with any inertial requirements, in this case solved by the arrangement of parts mounted thereon. The outlet end of the shaft 5 extends beyond the plate 14, mounts a freely rotatable, brake controlled wrapper reel 15, and terminates with a cigarrod support block 16, all as will be described subsequently. The cigar rod 3 is moved axially through the wrapper, as shown, and this motion is facilitated and supported by two pairs of puller rollers 17, 17a, 18, 18a each pair of rollers being coplanar and each pair being disposed at right angles to the other.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, it is seen that the puller roller assembly 55 is mounted in a U-shaped frame 56, its axis being horizontal and adapted to receive and draw the wrapped cigar rod 3a.

The mechanism is driven through the shaft 57 by a r suitable drive (not shown) which is synchronously operated with the wrapping apparatus and cigar-rod manufacturer, to suitably draw the wrapped rod 3a by means of the rollers 17, 17a, 18, 18a.

The shaft 57 passes through the vertical leg 58 of the frame and a depending bracket 35, and then terminates in the grooved wheel or pulley 17 secured to the shaft.

Fhe pulley 17 rotates in a vertical plane and has a lower :ounterpart pulley 17a in alignment. Pulley 17a is mount- :d in the split end of a rock shaft 59 by means of an [X16 60. The rock shaft is pivotably mounted on a shaft 51 extending between a pair of vertical journal bars 62, 53. The other end of the rock shaft 59 is oscillatably en- ;ageable with the end of an adjustable stop screw 64 which projects through the base 6% of the pulley assemnly. This stop screw limits the distance between pulleys l7 and 17a under the action of a compression spring 65 working between the base of the puller unit and the rock arm 59. The driven pulley 17 and the free wheeling pulley 17a are spaced apart to pullingly and resiliently receive in their mating grooves a wrapped cigar rod 3a of slightly variable diameter.

The horizontally aligned pulleys 18, 18a follow the pulleys 17, 17a and are similarly mated. The drive shaft 57 mounts a vertical gear 66 meshed with a horizontal gear 67 on a vertical shaft 68 extending between top and bottom legs 69 and 69a of the unit. This shaft mounts the drivable pulley 18. The mating pulley 18a is free wheeling and oscillatably adjustable with respect to pulley 18. A vertical shaft 70 mounts between fixed collars 71 and 72 a horizontal H-shaped oscillatable bracket 73, the bracket mounting near its free end a vertical short shaft 74 between the horizontal legs 75 and 76- of the bracket, the shaft 74 mounting the free pulley 18a. The bracket 73 is oscillatable under the action of a tension spring 77 extending from the bracket to the wall 58, the distance between the pulleys 18 and 18a being limited by an adjustable stop screw 78 in the bracket and cooperating with a stop lug 79' fixed to the base 69a of this assembly. The pulling and guiding assembly suitably and resiliently supports and pulls a continuously-wrapped cigar rod, for delivery to appropriate sectional cutting means. However, other suitable pulling and guiding devices known in the art may be used.

The wrapped cigar rod 3a is then delivered to a suitable means for severing the wrapped rod to the desired lengths, many such devices being known in the art and not described herein.

Returning to the wrapper reel 15, its core is mounted on the flange 19 of a belt brake 20, said flange having a free running fit on the shaft 5. The flange 19 is fitted into a recessed portion 21 of the shaft and helps retain against axial movement a flange 22 integral with plate 14 and fitted around shaft 5. Bearing race it], flange 22, and brake 20 keep the assembly in alignment on shaft 5, the end of brake 20 being secured by a cylindrical drum 23 screwed to the end of shaft 5 by screws 24.

The outer end of brake drum 20 is threaded to receive therearound an open, tapered lock nut 25, the tapered portion 27 entering the wrapper reel core 26 and in combination with the flange 22 and brake 20 holding the reel against axial and rotational movement, but permitting the reel to be removed or replaced readily by unscrewing the nut 25.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wrapper shaft 5 and all parts thereon are rotated clockwise by preference. The Wrapper reel 15 which delivers the wrapper sheet 28 is constrained only to rotate as fast as is required by the pulling off of the wrapper sheet 28 by means of the axial speed and the diameter of the cigar rod 3, and this is accomplished by a belt brake 29 contained in a portion of the peripheral groove of brake and having its free ends terminating in a clamp 30 mounted on a brake lever arm 31 pivotally mounted on a screw 32 extending into rotary mounting plate 14. It will be appreciated that whereas plate 114 rotates with shaft 5, the wrapper reel 15 is rotated only sufficiently through the resistance of the brake belt 29 to deliver the wrapper sheet 28 under sufficient tension to the tobacco rod 3. One free end of the brake lever 31 is provided with an appropriate counterweight 33 and with an accompanying tension spring 34 coupled between pegs, such as 36, respectively fixed adjacent to the counterweight 33 on lever 31 and on the plate 14. The weight of counterweight 33 and the strength of spring 34 are of such magnitude as to provide proper braking action on the wrapper reel 15 under rotation of the plate 14.

Affixed to the other end of brake lever arm 31 is a dancer roller 37 which controls the web tension of wrapper sheet 28 in a manner now to be described. Under the simultaneous rotation of plate 14 with shaft 5 and the brake restricted rotation of the wrapper reel 15 as the bound cigar rod is delivered axially through the wrapper, the spring 34 and counterweight 33, balanced by the dancer roller 37, effectively control the tension of wrapper web 28. Note that the wrapper web passes from the reel 15 to an idler roller 38, mounted on plate 14, thence up and around the upper tension or dancer roller 37, then down again and around another idler roller 39 fixed to plate 14, on the travel of the wrapper strip to the bound cigar rod 3.

As the continuous wrapper strip 28 leaves the idler roller 39 it passes over a wrapper strip turning bar 40. This bar is adjustably pivoted in the plate 14 by means of an integral bal-l end 41 on rod 40, which ball end is pivoted between the arcuate complementary recesses 42, 43 respectively in a pair of mounting blocks 44, 45. Block 45 is screwed into plate 14 and block 44 is screwed to block 45. The complementary recesses and the ball provide an adjustable ball-and-socket joint between the turning bar 40 and the plate 14. The turning bar 40 is so pivoted relative to the cigar rod 3, as to provide an appropriate helix angle as the wrapper strip is then drawn around the cigar rod 3. The weight of the web rollers and brake lever arm are inertially balanced under rotation of plate 14 by a counterweight 46 screwed to the opposite end of the plate.

Upon leaving the turning bar 40, the Wrapper strip 28 is delivered through slot 49 in the support block 16 to be spirally wrapped around the cigar rod. The block 16 is designed to support and guide the cigar rod and also the wrapper strip into spiral arrangement about the rod. The support block 16 is provided with a flange 47 which is secured to cylindrical drum 23 on the end of shaft 5, thus providing rotation of the support block 16 simultaneously with the plate 14. The support block 16 is provided with a tubular core 48 which is coaxial with the cigar rod passing therethrough and being wrapped. The slot 49 extends tangentially from the periphery of the core to an exterior surface of the block. The wrapper sheet, as mentioned, passes from turning bar 40 through slot 49 to tubular core 48 to be wrapped spirally around the cigar rod as it passes through the core. The core 48 and slot 49 of the block 16 should have minimum friction and sticking characteristics. Teflon is a material having suitable characteristics for this purpose.

Before the wrapper sheet 28 is spiral wrapped under tension about the cigar rod 3, it is necessary to apply paste to the sheet and this may be done preferably in the vicinity of the turning bar 40. Mounted on the plate 14 is an acceptable annular paster pot 50 and under rotation of the plate the paste is centrifugally delivered through an applicator tube 51 leading from the pot 50 through a bracket 52 on plate 14 and terminating in the area near the forward edge of the wrapper sheet 28 as it passes over the turning bar 40, as seen in FIG. 1. The line on the wrapper sheet 28 indicates the paste. The paste is applied in such position that it tends to cover the area of sheet 28 which overlaps the left-hand edge of the turn previously coiled about the rod, as shown in FIG. 1. Other conventional paste applying means may be employed.

In the operation of this high speed spiral wrapper machine, the hollow nut 25 is first removed, a reel of wrapper sheet 15 is then mounted, and the nut is then appropriately tightened. The helix angle of the turning bar 40 is next fixed. Then a cigar rod 3 is delivered from a binder machine axially through the wrapper shaft 5, support block 16 and puller rollers 17, 17a, 18, 18a. The

comprises a mass and a flexible wrapper sheet 28 is appropriately engaged with the cigar rod and then fitted into the support block 16. Thereupon the puller rollers pull the cigar rod through the spiral wrapping machine as the rod is delivered from the cigar binder, while the wrapping machine plate is rotated from a drive through gear 12, all speeds being suitably correlated.

The invention above described may be varied in construction with the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is one of many embodiments of the same. The invention therefore is not to be restricted to the precise details of the method and structure described and shown.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for spirally wrapping a continuous wrapper web about a continuous bound cigar rod comprising; a stand incorporating a rotatable hollow shaft through which the cigar rod is axially movable, a plate fixed to and rotatable with the shaft, said plate mounting a paster unit and means for delivering paste to a wrapper web, adjustable means on the plate for determining the helical angle of the web relative to the cigar rod, means for mounting a supply reel of wrapper Web on the shaft, means on the plate for guiding and tensioning the wrapper web from the reel to the cigar rod about which the web is spirally wrapped and sealed, said supply reel being freely rotatable on the shaft and the tensioning means comprising a brake belt operatively associated wtih the reel and adapted to govern the tension of the web, and the tensioning means further comprising a brake lever arm coupled to the brake belt and pivotally mounted to the plate at an intermediate point.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the brake lever mounts a weight and a tension spring puller on one end and a dancer roller controlling web tension on the other end.

3.-An apparatus according to claim 2, in which the guiding and tensioning means has a pair of idler rollers mounted on said plate and disposed on either side of said dancer roller and said angle determining means has an adjustable turning bar mounted on said plate, and in which the web from the reel is deliverable through said pair of idler rollers with the dancer roller interposed therebetween, thence around the adjustable turning bar to the cigar rod.

4. A wrapping machine for tobacco products comprising, a hollow shaft, means for supporting a tobacco rod coaxially with said shaft, said shaft being rotatable relative to said supporting means, means for supplying a substantially endless web, a web guide for directing said Web diagonally to said rod, and adjustable web tensioning means responsive to the rotary speed of said shaft for applying a tension force on said web varying with respect to said shaft rotary speed whereby a wrapper with the desired uniformity in tension and pitch is spirally wrapped on the rod.

5. The machine as claimed in claim 4 in which said means for supplying the web is a free-wheeling reel supported about said shaft, and said web tensioning means brake band connecting said mass and said reel, said mass being rotatable with said shaft and radially displaceable relative to the longitudinal axis of said shaft upon rotation whereby said mass has a centrifugal force causing said brake band to engage said reel with a restraint variable with respect to the shaft rotary speed.

6. The machine as claimed in claim 5 including a support extending radially from said shaft and secured thereto, and in which said mass comprises a bar pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said support, said bar having a counterweight secured thereto at one end thereof and wherein the brake band is connected to said bar intermediate the counterweight and the pivotal connection.

7. The machine as claimed in claim 6 including a spring connecting bar and the support to normally bias the end of the bar having the counterweight radiall outwardly of said shaft.

8. The machine as claimed in claim 5 including mean engaging the moving web and sensing the tension forct in said web, said means acting on said mass in response ti changes in tension force in said web to cause said brakt band to engage said reel with a restraint variable inversely with respect to the tension force.

9. The machine as claimed in claim 8 including a roller mounted on the other end of the pivot bar, saic roller engaging the moving web and sensing the tensior force in the web, said roller causing said bar to pivot in response to changes in the tension force of said web thereby causing said brake band to engage said reel with a restraint variable with respect to said tension force.

10. A wrapping machine for tobacco products comprising, a hollow shaft having a longitudinal axis, means for supporting a tobacco rod coaxially with said shaft, said shaft being rotatable relative to said supporting means, means for supplying a substantially endless web, a web guide for directing said web diagonally to said rod, adjustable web tensioning means responsive to the rotary speed of said shaft for applying a tension force on said web varying with respect to said shaft rotary speed, and a friction-type variable-force pulling means disposed adjacent said shaft coaxially therewith for axially displacing said rod.

11. The machine as claimed in claim It) in which said pulling means comprises a pair of oppositely disposed friction wheels each having grooved rim portions for engaging the rod on the radially outer surfaces thereof.

12. A wrapping machine for tobacco products comprising, a hollow shaft having a longitudinal axis, means for supporting a tobacco rod coaxially with said shaft, said shaft being rotatable relative to said supporting means, means for supplying a substantially endless web, a web guide for directing said web diagonally toward said rod and a guide member for joining the web and the rod, said member being supported from said shaft for rotation therewith and disposed coaxially therewith and having an axial passage for guiding said tobacco rod and having a diagonal passage for-guiding the web, said diagonal passage extending into said axial passage whereby a wrapper of the desired uniformity in pitch is spirally wrapped about said rod.

13. The machine as claimed in claim 12 wherein the guide is supported from the shaft by a radial plate adjustably fastened to the end of said shaft and means for adjustably connecting said guide to said plate.

14. A spiral web wrapping machine comprising, a hollow shaft, means for supporting a tobacco rod coaxially with said shaft, said shaft being rotatable relative to said supporting means, means for supplying a substantially endless web, a web guide for directing said web diagonally to said rod, and a hollow annular member mounted on said shaft radially outwardly therefrom and surrounding said shaft coaxially therewith containing fluid paste with fluid pressure to said shaft rotary speed and having a paste outlet disposed adjacent said diagonal web for applying paste thereon.

15. A wrapping machine for tobacco products comprising, a hollow shaft, means for supporting a moving tobacco rod axially with said shaft, said shaft being rotatable relative to said supporting means, means for supplying a substantially endless web, a web guide for directing said web diagonally to said rod, and adjustable web tensioning means responsive to the rotary speed of said shaft for applying a tension force on said web varying with respect to said shaft rotary speed, a guide member for joining the web and the rod, said member being sup ported from said shaft for rotation therewith and disposed coaxially therewith, said guide member having an axial passage for guiding said tobacco rod and having a diagonal passage for guiding said web, said diagonal passage extending into said axial passage, and variable force pulling means disposed axially of said shaft for frictionally engaglng said rod and for axially displacing the same in response to the axial movement of said rod whereby a wrapper with the desired uniformity in tension and pitch is spirally wrapped on the rod.

16. A method of wrapping a tobacco rod, comprising continuously moving the rod longitudinally, withdrawing wrapper material from a supply source and wrapping it around said rod during the longitudinal movement of said rod, and applying a retarding force to said withdrawing of the wrapper material to provide tension therein during its movement from said supply source to said rod.

17. A method as defined in claim 16, including imparting to said wrapper material during its movement to said rod a direction askew to the direction of movement of said rod for wrapping said material helically around said rod. 7

18. A method as defined in claim 16, including varying the amount of retardation of withdrawal of said wrapper 'material in accordance with the tension therein during its travel to said rod.

19. A method as defined in claim 16, including rotating a source of paste about said rod and directing paste from said source to said wrapper material under the influence of centrifugal force during the travel of said wrapper material to said rod.

20. A wrapping machine for tobacco products comprising a hollow shaft, means for supporting a tobacco rod coaxially with said shaft, said shaft being rotatable relative to said supporting means, a web-supplying reel 30 coaxially rotatable about said shaft, guiding means for directing said web diagonally to said shaft, means for applying a braking force to said reel to retard rotation thereof, and means responsive to the amount of tension in said web for controlling the amount of braking force applied to said reel.

21. The machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the means for controlling the amount of braking force applied to said reel comprises an element engaging the moving Web, and means controlled by said element in response to changes in the tension force in said web to cause said braking means to restrain said reel with a force variable inversely with said tension force.

22. The machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the braking means comprises a flexible brake band, and the means controlling the amount of braking force applied to the reel comprises a lever having one portion thereof connected to said brake band and another portion thereof carrying the element which engages the web for sensing the tension force therein.

23. A wrapping machine for tobacco products comprising a hollow shaft, means for supporting a tobacco rod coaxially with said shaft, said shaft being rotatable relative to said supporting means, a web-supply reel having its axis of rotation coaxial with that of said shaft, guiding means rotatable with said shaft and engageable 10 with said web to direct the web diagonally to said rod, and

under the centrifugal force developed in the rotation of said paste-supply means.

24. A wrapping machine for tobacco products comprising a hollow shaft, means for supporting a tobacco rod coaxially with said shaft, said shaft being rotatable relative to said supporting means, a web-supply reel, guiding means for directing the web from said reel diagonally to said rod, paste-supply means rotatable with said shaft, and a connection from said supply means and rotatable therewith for conducting paste to an edge portion of said diagonally directed web under the centrifugal force developed in the rotation of said supply means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 128,560 7/1872 Pease. 1,204,342 11/1916 Cobb 57-3 1,526,572 2/1925 Ten Eyck 57-3 1,932,942 10/1933 Thordarson 93-80 2,335,514 11/1943 Hiebert 131-59 2,367,911 1/1945 Wells 131-59 3,000,167 9/1961 Pierce 57-3 3,058,474 10/1962 Banning 131-59 3,128,216 4/1964 Reed 93-80 X FOREIGN PATENTS 106,544 9/ 1924 Switzerland.

r SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

HUGH R. CHAMBLEE, Examiner. 

16. A METHOD OF WRAPPING A TOBACCO ROD, COMPRISING CONTINUOUSLY MOVING THE ROD LONGITUDINALLY, WITHDRAWING WRAPPER MATERIAL FROM A SUPPLY SOURCE AND WRAPPING IT AROUND SAID ROD DURING THE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ROD, AND APPLYING A RETARDING FORCE OF SAID WITHDRAWING OF THE WRAPPER MATERIAL TO PROVIDE TENSION THEREIN DURING ITS MOVEMENT FROM SAID SUPPLY SOURCE TO SAID ROD. 